A Forested Tract-Size Profile of South Carolina's NIPF Landowners

Abstract

Information gathered from 3,078 permanent forest survey sample plots showed that nearly 0.9 million acres, or 10 percent of the nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) timberland in South Carolina is in forested tracts 10 acres or less. Forested tracts ranging from 1 1 to 100 acres accounted for the largest proportion of NIPF timberland. Forested tract size varied significantly by NIPF-ownership group. By NIPF-ownership group, the other corporate group recorded the highest average forested tract size of 3,802 acres. Volume of softwood growing stock was significantly higher in the larger tract-size categories. Hardwood growing-stock volume per acre was significantly higher in the largest and smallest forested tract-size classes. Softwood growing-stock removals exceeded growth across all forested-parcel categories, whereas hardwood growing-stock growth surpassed hardwood removals in two tract-size classes.

Keywords

Forest ownership, forested tract size, timber growth, timber removals, timber volume, timberland.

Citation

Thompson, Michael T. 1997. A Forested Tract-Size Profile of South Carolina''s NIPF Landowners. Res. Pap. SRS-2.Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 11 p.